"We are very fortunate to work with very talented and creative people at Uponor," says Bill Gray, president of Uponor North America. "But, we have to recognize that no single company has a monopoly on good ideas. Uponor Innovations is one way we can connect with others externally and help turn their good ideas into a reality."

Anyone from entrepreneurs to startups, business owners, management teams, investors and funds can submit an executive summary of their ideas to www.uponorinnovations.com. Uponor is open to exploring ideas that may or may not build on its existing product profile and business model.

"Someone may have a good idea, but lack the resources to gain any traction or success," says Gray. "That’s where Uponor can help. We have a successful and established infrastructure to help introduce ideas, products, processes and technology to our industry."

This infrastructure includes staff, funding, manufacturing, marketing, sales, technical support and a national distribution network. Uponor Innovations is not an investment portfolio enterprise, but rather its approach is to pursue involvement through existing Uponor assets and resources.

Gray believes that building an innovative culture internally and externally is a great opportunity to build products and create new processes and technologies that not only help its customers differentiate and grow their business, but also inspire the industry with fresh, innovative and sustainable solutions, and enrich people’s way of life.

"The entrepreneurial spirit is a core part of our culture at Uponor; it’s in our DNA," Grays says. "We’re very excited about this new venture where we can all capitalize on better ideas and solutions to revolutionize our industry."

Uponor, Inc. is a leading provider of plumbing, fire safety and radiant heating and cooling systems for the residential and commercial building markets in the United States. Uponor, Inc. employs nearly 500 people at its North American headquarters in Apple Valley, Minn. For more information, visit www.uponorpro.com, www.uponor-usa.com or call (800) 321-4739.